A Broken-Hearted Lullaby
by Smile-I'mTheEndOfAllThatYouSee
Summary: What if Mikey survived the events of "Let the Children Weep"? Three years later, he is still greiving and traumatized by that event. Now the anniversary of his brothers' deaths are approaching, and fate may either give him a chance at healing or reconstruction of the nightmare. You don't necessarily have to read "Let The Children Weep" to understand this story, but it could help
1. A Long Time Ago

**This year, I got to read ****_Beloved. _****When reading it, I thought back to "Let the Children Weep" wondered, ****_What would it be like if one of them did survive?_**_**How will he cope with their brothers' deaths and the knowledge that their father had tried to kill them?**_**I knew it had to be Mikey who was going to survive because he was the last one to die so for those who also wondered the same thing, now your questions will be answered. Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for "Let the Children Weep"**

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Cars beeped their horns as they _swooshed _through rain soaked streets. The rain created a mirror on the roads as if it were a portal to a parallel dimension of our world where everything is upside down. Far down below, a lone figure – an outcast to the outside world – listened to the gushing of water from the storm drains and the thunder that rumbled overhead. A long time ago, the very sound of thunder would frighten the young turtle, sending him to one of his brothers' beds or his father's room for comfort and a sleepover, but that was a very, very long time ago when everyone was happy, alive, and safe. That was when the turtle knew the support structures of his family were holding his family. Now they lay crumbled around him, and even if they were repaired Michelangelo wouldn't even be able to recognize them. Turns out you really don't know someone truly well, even a loved one.

A few tears trickled from his eyes.

Thunder roared over head. It sounded close. Maybe it struck the Empire State Building. Don had once told him that the Empire State Building gets struck by lightning one hundred times a year. Damn did he wish he could hear Donnie's voice again? Even getting pounded by Raph or even lectured by Leo would bring so much happiness to his heart and soul because no matter how many times he hated being lectured by Leo or getting "punished" by Raph for pulling a prank, it would still mean that Leo and Raph are _alive. _ Not anymore. They're gone and so is Donnie. The only family member he had left was his father, and he ran away from him three years ago.

Mikey shivered so he decided to walk back to his Lair – the Lair that he founded after running away. Three years ago, he would have skateboarded all the way home (home being the Lair where he used to live). Leo would have scolded him for being gone for a long time, and Don would have scolded him for being outside in the cold because turtles are cold-blooded and blah, blah, blah. Raph would have just told them to lay off him. Then he would give him a nooggie, saying that a turtle has got to have his fun. Don would drop it, but Leo might have a little comeback and then go off to train. Then Mikey would watch TV or play videogames whether solo or with one of his brothers. The lights made the Lair look like there was sun shining inside it.

When Mikey reached his new Lair, there was no Leo or Don scolding him, no Raph giving him noogies and standing up for him. There was a few dim lights strung above but nothing compared to the ones back at the used-to-be home. Mikey didn't mind. When he lost his brothers, the sun died. They always say that he's the personal sun of the Hamato clan, but what they don't realize is that they are the very reason why he shines so bright. Now they're gone, and Mikey when through a supernova.

When he found out how his brothers died, he lost his sanity.

When he lost his sanity, he ran away from home. He was scared of the same fate happening to him. Mikey could remember some of that day but not much. All he could remembered was waking up, Splinter's wide eyes, a knife near his throat, April and Casey, lots of shouting, and blood. Blood, blood, blood all over his brothers' throats.

He survived, but his heart broke and his soul shattered. All his trust and all that he knew about his father and family in general crumbled. The pieces were scattered by the wind.

Emotionally exhausted, Mikey flopped down on his tattered couch that also served as his bed. His lair was small – only one room, but one room's all he needed. There was a small kitchen in one corner and a bathroom in the other. There was a TV in front of him. All his stuff lay next to it. He closed his eyes, laid his head back, took a deep breath, and cleared his mind of any turbulence. He had to stay strong and sane.

In a few days it will be the anniversary of his brothers' deaths.


	2. Questioning

**Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT. **

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**That same day…**

Splinter kneeled on the couch, paws stroking the fabric of a purple ninja mask, feeling closer to Donatello as he stroked the mask. A blue one and a red one lay beside him. They were the only things he was able to carry out during his escape from captivity. It killed him that they didn't have enough time to bring back their bodies. He took away their souls; couldn't he at least keep their bodies?

There was no orange mask. The owner of it was still alive but just as gone. He walked out of Splinter's life when his nightmares became more and more alive, breathing in gray fur and rat flesh. He snuck out in the middle of the night, leaving only a note but no clue of where he's heading to. Splinter wasn't really surprised when he woke up the morning after the memorial service to find himself alone, but his heart hurt so much, and he cried as if Michelangelo died. He was truly alone: three sons dead by his own hand and one son who ran away because he was afraid of and angry at Splinter. Splinter searched for his son whether be through meditation or shifting through the sewers, but he couldn't find him. Michelangelo blocked his presence and erased his tracks. Any hope of making up to his son, of begging for his forgiveness was gone. The only way he knew Michelangelo was still alive was through April – the only one who still talked to him (Casey practically disowned him as a father figure) – but she refused to tell him where Michelangelo was out of respect for his wishes.

Splinter picked of Raphael and Leonardo's masks and held all three close to his heart. He closed his eyes and remembered the memorial service:

_It had been a week after Splinter and Michelangelo's rescue. Now it was time to hold a memorial service for Leonardo, Donatello, and Raphael. April, Casey, Michelangelo, and Splinter were in the dojo. Splinter had made a Japanese-style shrine to honor the passing of his sons. He had decorated with their pictures, favorite childhood toys, Donatello's old failed inventions, a piece of fabric from Raphael's punching bag, and a piece of a wooden board cut from Leonardo's first successful practice with his katana swords. He had lit three candles – one tied with blue ribbon, one with a red ribbon, and another one with a purple ribbon. They had their names written in English and the words honor, protection, and compassion in kanji on the candles, respectively. Incense burned from the candles. They all carried a single white, incense-free candle tied with purple, red, and blue ribbons. Each had said a few words – Casey told them how much he was going to miss them but mostly spoke to Raphael. Then he left a ticket from his first hockey game with the Turtles; April told them how much she loved them and was going to miss them but mostly spoke to Donatello. Then she placed a photo of herself, Casey, and the boys on the shrine; Michelangelo broke down in tears and told them that he wished that he had been awake to warn them, to save them, but he wasn't so he said he was sorry; he loved them, and was going to miss them._

_Then it was his turn._

_He gave April his candle. He took out his deceased sons' masks from his robe. He was going to say something and then tie their masks to the shrine. That was the moment where he was supposed to say sorry, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. He killed them out of love, and in his mind, and he was justified in doing so. If he apologized, it was like saying that he would rather have his sons be alive and suffer than be dead and safe. His only regret was that he had not been patient enough. If he had been, they would have all been rescued, and Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo would still be alive, and Michelangelo would not have run away. Splinter could only say, "I am so proud of you all for the men you have become. I love you all so very much. One day I will see all of you again, but for now, rest my brave, precious sons." Now it was time to tie the masks to the shrine. He was going to start with Leonardo's mask, but he couldn't. Tying a knot in fabric is like tying a knot in the fabric of the universe, giving reality to this very surreal experience. How can he make the death of his children a reality? They are safe now! He wants his dead sons back! Splinter broke down and cried. April somehow disposed of their candles and rushed to him and gave him a one armed hug. Splinter took comfort in her embrace. After some time of grieving, he looked up to see Michelangelo, and he will never forget the look on his living son's face. It was a look of pure shock and horror as if Michelangelo was expecting some sign of remorse, an apology said for killing his brothers, and Splinter had given him none._

"Master Splinter?"

Splinter was shaken from his recollection and looked up to see April's concerned face. Ever since the memorial service three years ago, she would often stop by to bring supplies and to talk. April was the only one who understood what he had gone through when he made the decision to slit his sons' throats. He smiled. "Hello, Miss O'Neil."

April smiled. "How many times must I tell you that you can address me by my first name?"

"My apologies, Miss– April."

April took a seat on the couch. "Are you okay? You didn't respond when I was calling your name."

"I am sorry. I was remembering the memorial service."

April's face turned crestfallen. "It'll be three years in three days, wouldn't it be?"

Splinter nodded. "Yes, it would be."

They were silent for awhile until April spoke up. "Mikey is still alive. I just talked to him a couple days ago. I still can't tell you where he is though."

Splinter nodded. "Has he mentioned me? Is he still angry and afraid of me?"

"He didn't mention you at all. I used to bug him about trying to make things up with you and that you would never hurt him, but he refuses to listen. Eventually, I gave up."

Splinter did not say anything as he took in what April said. He could not blame Michelangelo for feeling that way. Before Michelangelo ran away, he hid in his room and did everything possible to avoid his father. Splinter often told his son that his plan was to put him, his brothers, and Splinter himself into a safe place and that he would never hurt Michelangelo for any reason and that euthanasia isn't the same as murder just to get Michelangelo to talk to him. Splinter even revealed his history with Dr. Rupert to justify why Splinter had to do, but it only made Michelangelo angrier and avoid him further. He had never screamed at his father or even shouted only avoided him, but his eyes screamed everything that Michelangelo wanted to scream.

"Do you think I did the right thing?" Splinter blurted out.

"What? Killing Don, Raph, and Leo?" April asked.

Splinter nodded.

"Knowing the trauma that you experienced at the hands of Dr. Rupert fifteen years ago and that he threatened to do the same thing to your sons, I can't blame you. You all tried everything you could to escape, but when escape seemed hopeless, you decided to spare your sons the agony and PTSD of a vivisection without anesthesia. Any good parent will do anything in their power to spare their children from pain and death."

"Yes, but you and Casey came just as I was about to cut Michelangelo's throat. Had I waited a little longer, my other sons would still be alive," Splinter counter-argued.

"You couldn't have known what the future would have held. The only thing you knew was that at any time soon, one of your sons, maybe even all, would be tortured. You had to do what you could to protect them from that. I will always miss Donnie, Raph, and Leo, but I will never blame you for what you did."

"Thank you, Miss O'Neil." Splinter felt comfort in her words and a renewed sense of righteousness in his act.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Master Splinter, but I think you were lucky that you had were allowed to euthanize your sons."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember what I told you about my dying grandmother?"

"Yes, she had suffered a stroke, paralyzing most of her body. She eventually died a year later."

"Remember that I told you that I wished I could have permitted doctors to euthanize her, but according to federal law, I couldn't?"

"Yes."

"Well, at least you were allowed the right to protect your sons from pain. I was refused that right to free my grandmother from her suffering. Instead, she became a prisoner in her own body until she died." April began to choke on some tears. "If I was allowed to euthanize my grandmother, I could have given her wings."

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**April's feelings on euthanasia don't reflect my opinions on the subject. I have mixed feelings on euthanasia including animal euthanasia which I will incorporate into this story eventually. However, i respect all of your opinions if you agree or disagree with euthanasia.**


	3. Nightmares and Memories

**Next chapter. Be warned. There is some graphic imaging. Disclaimer: I own nothing**

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An hour later, April left for home, leaving Splinter alone. Splinter washed the dishes from the dinner he and April shared. (Although April was a wonderful cook, he missed his son's cooking probably because he missed his son.) Then he decided to relieve his grief and watch a new episode _Grey's Anatomy_ – one of his favorite prime time soap operas. It worked for awhile, but once the show ended, his mind was back to dwelling in heavy sorrow. Knowing that meditation will not work to ease his mind, Splinter retired to his room and do what all depressed people do and slept. Besides, it was ten o'clock, his usual bedtime.

Unfortunately, sleeping did not provide that natural relief from his weary thoughts. Instead, it brought an onslaught of agony and guilt.

_Splinter was hidden between two buildings and a dumpster. It was a cloudy New York day, but when he cautiously moved from his hiding spot, the clouds broke and revealed the sun. Unfortunately, Splinter's eyesight was in directly to the sun before the clouds moved, and when they did, a big ball of hot white light blinded him. Splinter closed his eyes and looked away. He tried to retreat into the shadows, but he couldn't because he was now strapped to a cot and couldn't even twitch a muscle. He could feel the heat of the sun, but his mind corrected him, telling him that it was a fluorescent light bulb. The light moved away, and Splinter opened his eyes only to see something even worse than being blinded by light. It was Dr. Rupert with his surgical mask pulled on his chin and a twisted smile on his face. There was blood all over his white lab coat. Splinter managed to pull his head over to see his body which had been cut open to reveal his stomach, liver, intestines, and all the organs in the stomach areas. _

_ Dr. Rupert took out a surgical knife and threw and twirled it like a baton as he innocently asked, "If I neuter you, will you still be able to sire your sons?"_

_ Splinter didn't know what he meant, but when he peaked through the bars of his cage that he is now in, he understood. He saw four cots with Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo lying on them as lab assistants vivisected them. Their cries pierced Splinter's ears and robbed him of his voice. He brought his paws to his throat. _What happened to my voice?!_ Splinter thought. _Where is it?! _Then he saw Dr. Rupert hold up a lantern with a swirling mass of bluish white light. "When I cut your throat, I stole your voice. You screamed too much," he explained as if he were explaining a simple but beneficial procedure for a patient._

_ Then Michelangelo was unstrapped from his cot He got up and fell off the cot, trying to get down. He held his stomach with his right arm as he struggled to crawl to Splinter. Splinter could only watch with shock at seeing his son suffer but persevere through it. A trail of blood followed Michelangelo. When he managed to get to Splinter, he painfully managed to get into kneeling position. He then revealed a tangled mass of small intestines in his right hand. In a voice that sounded like a five-year-old's, he asked, "Why didn't you save me, Daddy?" Then a waterfall of blood gushed from Michelangelo's giant wound. Life a raging river, the blood rushed at Splinter, engulfing him in red._

Then Splinter woke up with a scream.

He panted from that vivid nightmare that combined all the elements of his captivity fifteen years ago and some from his captivity three years ago, stirred them together, and spiced them up. "Just a dream," he reasoned, "nothing but a dream." But after that, he had a desire to check on Michelangelo to make sure he was alive and safe, but then he remembered that his son ran away to somewhere he did not know. He could only pray that his son was safe, but it wasn't enough to calm his paranoia.

"Perhaps meditation will help." So Splinter got up and lit some candles and burned some incense. He assumed lotus position on his tatami mat and cleared his mind from the shadow of his fears and grief and the stain of his dream and memories. He focused solely on his inner center and found some sort of peace and calmness, but then a dark presence began to loom near that center and fill his mind with an image of his three dead sons when they were three-years-old and then an image of Dr. Rupert. Splinter's eyes shot open. He knew that presence – it was the evil presence of Dr. Rupert – but he is not here in the sewers. Perhaps he was receiving a vision of the future that associated with him, but the images he received were of the past. What could this mean? Splinter was too tired to figure this out and blew out the candles. All he knew for sure was that something big was going to happen soon.

* * *

Meanwhile Michelangelo was having trouble sleeping, too. Things from the past were beginning to surface, things that he tried so hard to forget.

_ "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"_

_ "Oh my God!"_

_ Blood seeped from their throats. Splinter's eyes were wide, going into shock. Casey was furious. April was horrified. There was so much blood, but that silver gleam was gone. It hurt his eyes. It hurt his eyes like the sun, but the sun had just died in this place. So much blood. _

Mikey shook off the memory. Going into shock that day had helped repressed the memory, but it was all coming back. Maybe because he could not help but shake the feeling that something was going to happen on his brothers' anniversary of their death. He didn't know what, but as long as he could survive that day in one piece, he was fine with whatever happened.

_So much blood._

_ "Come on, we gotta move!"_

_ What about Leo, Donnie, and Raph? Why aren't they coming? Someone pushed him._

_ "Move!"_

_ Don't look back, don't look back. Just keep moving. Just keep moving. Don't think about the red lines on their throats. Don't get one drawn on your throat. Something above wailed._

_ "Someone's coming!"_

Michelangelo forced his mind to build up the barrier. He wasn't ready to remember. He didn't think he'll ever be ready to remember. _Think about the days before everything went to hell. Think of Don's gentle smile, Leo's loving but protective eyes, Raph's affectionate noogies._

Think of this and nothing more.

Don't let him kill you from the inside out.

Think of this and nothing more.

_Don tinkering with machines, Leo practicing, Raph assaulting his punching bag_

Think of this and nothing more.

Don't let him kill you from the outside either.

_Don's scientific commentary on sci-fi shows, Leo's futile attempts at cooking, Raph cheering for his favorite wrestler_

Think of this and nothing more.

Don't let him find you.

_Don's gentle and compassionate voice comforting him, Leo training him for his Battle Nexus rematch, Raph howling in rage at whoever threatened him_

Think of this and nothing more.

Think only of your brothers. Don't think about the past that screwed you up. Don't think about the father whom you thought you knew. Don't think about how he took away your brothers from you, how he took away their futures with a lousy excuse. Don't think about how you woke up with his knife held against your throat. Don't think about how alone you are now. Don't think about how much you miss them.

Think of this and nothing more.

_"Sing me a lullaby, Daddy."_


	4. A Grave Day

**Finally got this chapter done. Disclaimer: I don't own shit**

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Splinter held a photograph of him and his sons in happier times. He stroked the glass as if stroking the fur of a puppy. His paw lingered on Michelangelo. That smile and laughing eyes, immortalized in time, were replaced with weary eyes and a frown. His other three sons - Don's gentle eyes and shy smile, Raph's fiery eyes and cocky smile, Leo's firm but loving gaze and gentle smile. All of them imortalized in life while their souls dwell in the afterlife and their bodies decompose in their prison cell. Today is the day – the third anniversary of his sons' death. In eight days, it will be the third anniversary of Michelangelo running away from him. A single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Michelangelo."

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Mikey wandered the alleyways of the city, careful to stay hidden in the shadows. The approaching night and the rain clouds overhead made it easier, but he still had to be careful. Mikey needed to get out of his one-roomed Lair. He needed to breathe fresh air rather than the foul smelling air of the sewers. Today is the anniversary of his brothers' deaths, or murder as he liked to refer to it. He didn't buy into the whole euthanasia thing. Not with the circumstances of his brothers' deaths and his father's attempted murder on him. Not a chance.

Mikey thought of crashing at Casey's place. It would be nice to talk about their feelings and get rid of the three years of shit piled on his chest, but Mikey thought against it. He just needed to be alone with his brothers in his heart.

Mikey climbed a fire escape and using some fancy ninjutsu moves, he climbed to the roof. Looking at the New York City landscape had always helped him think, and that's what he wanted to do. Since there were no graves to visit and making a pilgrimage to their memorial would mean facing his father – the one who caused this whole mess – Mikey did the next best thing and honored his brothers' memories on this day by diving into his memory bank and thinking about them something he does every anniversary and birthday. Usually, Mikey tried not to think about his brothers (thinking about them would mean thinking about what his father had done, shocking him to the core and driving him over the edge with rage) and usually did so by skateboarding. However, this day was different.

As he looked on upon the foreboding evening sky, Mikey plunged into his memory bank and tried to relive memories, but this time Mikey was not content to skip down memory lane. This time he needed to talk to them.

"Hey, bros," he whispered, "I really miss you guys, and I don't mean that I miss you because there's no one now to prank or tease which I also really miss, but 'I miss you' as in there's a huge hole in my heart." Mikey wiped away some tears. "Leo, I miss the days you spent helping me train. Raph, I miss the times we would sometimes sneak out just to have Leo-and-Splinter-forbidden fun. Don, I miss the countless times spent together watching science fiction shows and movies. I miss a lot of things about you guys, but the thing I miss most of all, I miss the time spent together – just the four of us – whether it be playing, training, fighting, or just simply being together. I really miss that. You guys know that I hate being alone. Well, right now it's my worst nightmare come true. I miss the way you guys were so overprotective of me, especially when you allowed me to sleep with one of you after a nightmare. I mean, sometimes it bothered the shell out of me, but a lot of times I liked it. Leo, you would always sure me that you'll never let anything happen to me because you're the oldest. Raph, you would always brag about how you're scarier than any monster in my dreams because you can be one shell of a ninja when they or anyone hurts me. Don, you would just comfort me in that gentle voice of yours. Those times are when I really felt the love you had for me, and then I knew that I had the three best oldest brothers a turtle could ever ask for." Mikey paused to block the sobs. "I love you guys so much. I wish you were here, but wherever you guys are, I really hope you're rocking in turtle heaven and watching down on me because I sure as hell need it."

Then Mikey decided to confront a question that's been gnawing at him since he discovered how his brothers died. "I know you guys were asleep when Splinter killed you, so you had no way of knowing your killer just before you kicked the bucket. However, when you guys became ghosts or angels or whatever, did you ever find out that Splinter took your lives? If so, how do you guys feel about that? I mean, it's not like the Shredder or Bishop killed you, it was Master Splinter; it was someone we loved. That's gotta hurt. He tried to kill me, but I woke up just in time. You three, being the overprotective big brothers that you are, are you angry that Father tried to hurt me? He said he did it out of love. Personally, I think it was –"

_CRASH!_

"Ouch!" said a little boy's voice from the alleyway below him.

"Dom, you're _bleedin'_," said another little boy's voice but deeper than the other one's

"It could get all dirty and hurt bad," said a third little boy with a voice similar to the first one.

Mikey was curious to why three little kids were outside alone at night and one of them injured. He got up, walked over to the alleyway-side of the building and peaked over. The streetlight made it easier to see the kids, and it was a good thing because Mikey couldn't believe his eyes.

They were three toddler-sized mutant turtles.


	5. Chance Meeting

**Hey, any criticism and/or advice on how 3-year-olds talk would be much appreciated. Disclaimer: I own nothing**

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One had olive skin and was bleeding profusely from his hand. Another had green skin, and the third one had dark green skin. Mikey could not believe his eyes. Even weirder was that when Mikey heard the turtles speak, they sounded like his brothers when they were toddlers. He, April, Casey, and Splinter were forced to leave the bodies of his brothers behind. Was it possible Dr. Rupert was able to take DNA samples and clone them? According to Master Splinter, Dr. Rupert seemed interested only in how mutant animals function. What does cloning have anything to do with that, especially when any normal animal or human would do? If Mikey were Don or if it were some other time, he would ponder this some more, but right now, he could care less, especially when one of the turtles looked hurt.

Using agility, Mikey climbed down the fire escape. When he landed on the street, the three turtles looked up at him. Mikey noticed that at first they seemed terrified of him, but slowly their faces relaxed into recognition. Mikey was surprised at that. He had never met them. Did those three somehow heard about him or seen him somewhere? Maybe they're not clones. Maybe Dr. Rupert played Frankenstein and resurrected his brothers which somehow turned them into toddlers. _But one of them called the injured one "Dom," _Mikey thought. _Dom is short for Dominic. Maybe they're not my brothers if they have different names, or maybe Leo is mispronouncing "Don," but I don't remember Leo having that problem growing up._

Mikey watched the three little turtles. They never made any movement towards him or made any sound. They just watched him. Not creepily but rather observing to see what Mikey will do or say next and completely trusting whatever the outcome. Despite their trust, Mikey slowly and cautiously kneeled down while keeping his distance from them. He didn't want to scare them. "Hey dudes," Mikey gently said. "My name's Michelangelo, but you can call me Mikey. What are your names?" He smiled.

The green one stepped forward. For a minute, distrust flashed in his eyes, but recognition and trust came right back. "I'm Liam."

"Rex," said the dark green one. His voice sounded tough but still welcoming, and Mikey could make out a Brooklyn accent.

The olive green one shyly said, "I'm Dominic, but you can call me Dom."

"Nice to meet you," Mikey said as if meeting a new friend. _Now it's time for business. _"Hey Dom, what happened to your hand?"

Dom looked at it and then looked back at Mikey. "I tripped and landed on broken glass."

"Come here and let me see."

Without any hesitation or protest from Rex and Liam, Dom walked right up to Mikey and presented him his hand. Mikey took it gently and inspected the damage. Luckily, there were no glass shards in Dom's hand, but the cut was deep and there was a risk of infection. Mikey untied his mask and wrapped it around Dom's hand as a makeshift bandage. He watched as red blotched the orange fabric. "That should do for now, but we have to clean the wound, and you might need stitches. Okay?" Mikey looked up at Dom's face and was slightly taken back when he made eye contact with Dom. _He has Donny's eyes, _Mikey thought sadly and curiously. Granted, they all had the same brown eyes, but Mikey saw his brother's inquisitiveness, thirst for knowledge, gentleness, and shyness reflected in Dom's eyes. _Maybe he is Donny._

Recovering himself, Mikey said, "We need to go back to my place in order to take care of your hand." Looking behind Dom's shoulder, he asked Rex and Liam, "Do you guys have any parents or a home or something?"

Liam and Rex looked at each other. Then Liam spoke up. "No, we're run-uh-ways."

"Oh, who are you running from?"

Rex kicked a stone and said, "A bad man. He calls himself a docta, but he ain't much of a one."

Mikey raised an eye ridge in curiosity, but Dom got his attention. "Please don't make us go back," Dom shyly and desperately pleaded. Seeing his wide and fearful eyes made Mikey's heart broke.

Mikey gently said, "No, of course not. You guys can live with me. I'll protect you."

Dom grew the biggest smile on his face and hugged Mikey. Mikey returned the hug. "Fank you, Mikey." Then Rex and Liam soon joined in on the hug.

"No problem," Mikey said. 


	6. Don't Be Afraid

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

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A normal ten minute journey took twice as long with three toddlers in tow. Getting to the sewer drain wasn't so bad. It was getting down that was the problem. Mikey had to put Dom on his back to prevent him from further worsening his injury as he climbed the ladder down. It turns out that Liam has a fear of heights. He refused to climb down unless Mikey was carrying him so Mikey had to make two trips. Rex had no problem climbing down, but there were a couple close calls that Mikey had to climb back up and help guide him down much to Rex's chagrin.

When all four of them were safely on the sewer floor, Mikey said, "Ok, my Lair isn't too far from here. It's the first tunnel on the right about twenty feet from here."

"How we suppos'd to go when we can't see?" Rex asked.

"Don't worry. I'm a ninja! I can tell where I'm going. After we go through the tunnel, there's a small room on the left about ten feet from the entrance," Mikey explained.

"You a ninja?" Liam asked.

"Yup! I'm the Battle Nexus Champion. That means I'm the best warrior in all the multiverse," Mikey bragged, for the first time since three years ago.

Liam beemed. "That's so cool! I wanna be a ninja!"

"Me too!" Rex said.

"Maybe I'll teach you guys." Mike said, motioning them to follow him. "Now come on. We need to take care of Dom's hand."

Mikey led them to his Lair. When they got there, Mikey turned on the light and said, "Home sweet home."

The three little turtles' mouths went wide. They never saw such luxuries like a couch, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a TV. In the lab, their beds were old, thin blankets, their kitchen was food and water in bowls, their bathroom was a bucket, and their entertainment was each other.

Dom looked up at Mikey. "Do we weally get to live here?"

"Uh-huh. Though I'm gonna have to get more supplies later on maybe tomorrow. Actually, we may have to find a bigger place to stay, but I'll worry about that later on. Now let's take care of your hand." To Liam and Rex, Mikey said, "You guys can watch TV. I also have some comic books if you wanna read."

"Ok," the two said in unison.

The TV stood on an old wooden lowboy. Mikey opened one of the drawers and pulled out the remote and some comic books. He turned on the TV to PBS, and then handed the remote and the comic books to Liam and Rex. "Take good care of these. I had these comic books since I first learned to read, and I only have one remote."

"Uh-huh," Rex said while curtly nodding.

"Ok," Liam said.

Mikey smiled and then led Dom to the kitchen. He hoisted the boy by the armpits and set him down on the counter. Mikey turned around and opened a cabinet to pull out a first aid kit. He brought it to the table next to Dom, and opened it up. "Ok, Dom, Dr. Mikey's gonna make your hand feel all better now." Dom giggled as he watched Mikey take out Band-Aids, surgery string, a small needle, and a brown bottle. At first Dom was curious as to what was inside Mikey's first aid kit, but when Mikey said, "Okay, Dom, let's see your hand" and began to grow afraid of letting those mystery items near his hand. Sure he knew what Band-Aids were, but he remembered his time spent at the lab, and how cruel the docta's helpers were when they had to patch him up or when they just wanna see how he ticks. He didn't know what those items were and he didn't want to find out. It always ends badly so he inched his body away and covered his injured hand.

Mikey was surprised. Dom was willing to let him see his hand before. Now he's protecting his injury from him. "What's wrong, Dom?"

Dom just looked at Mikey with his big brown eyes. He didn't say anything. He was too scared too. The docta or one of his helpers would always slap him if he made so much as the tiniest mistake. He knew Mikey wasn't bad, but he was still scared.

Mikey looked at his supplies and mentally slapped himself. Dom must be scared of what Mikey was using. He of all people should understand that. He was once afraid of needles. In the gentlest voice he could muster, Mikey asked, "Hey, Dom, are you scared?" Dom shook his head yes. "Hey, it's okay. I know how you feel. I used to be scared of needles."

"You were?" Don said in the tiniest voice Mikey had ever heard.

"Yeah, they looked like long pointy swords trying to stab my skin, and they were filled with some liquid for all I know could've killed me. I always avoided them. Whenever I had to get one, I ran away screaming in fear. It did the trick because I didn't end up getting one. But you know what?"

"What?"

"I'm not scared anymore."

"How?"

"Well, did you know I used to have three older brothers?"

"No," Dom said, his voice halfway between sounding tiny and sounding like himself.

"Well, yeah. One of my brothers was named Don. He looks like you but taller and older." Mikey struggled to hold back the tears. "Well, he was a genius. His specialty was engineering which is like building machines. However, he took care of me and my brothers like a doctor would. Well, one day I got really sick, and I needed a shot to help me get better or else I would die. As sick as I was, I refused to get a shot, so you know what Don did to help me overcome my fear?"

"What?"

"Well, Don told me to trust him. He said that he would never do anything to hurt me, and when he gives me the shot, he wanted me to look at him and only him. I did what he said, and when I looked at him, I just knew that I had nothing to be afraid of, and you know what? He was right. The shot didn't really hurt. Now I no longer run away from them. Now, I'm going to have to clean your hand with anti-biotics to kill the germs. It will sting, but I just want you to look at me. I promise that I won't do anything that will hurt you, okay?" _No need to tell him about stitches if he may not need them, _Mikey thought.

His voice a little bit stronger, he said, "Ok."

"Great now let me see your hand."

Dom uncovered his left hand, and Mikey unwrapped the mask from Dom's hand. He inspected his mask for a short second, realizing that he needs to soak it and clean it. Mikey discarded it in the kitchen sink. He then opened the bottle of hydrogen peroxide and held Dom's hand over the sink. He poured the liquid over the cut, rubbing his hand to make sure it got everywhere.

Sure enough, the liquid stung Dom's hand, but Dom just stared at Mikey focusing on him and not the pain. He observed how Mikey had a different kind of green than him or his brothers. He didn't know what that kind of green was called. He knew Liam was just green, but Rex and he seemed to have different kinds of green. So did Mikey. How many kinds of green are there? Maybe he could ask Mikey. Dom's eyes traveled from Mikey's face to his throat. He couldn't see all of it because he was bending over, and he didn't want to see his hand being treated, but something about Mikey's throat intrigued him. Something about it lacking a red line. He didn't know why, but he and his brothers used to have these fuzzy dreams about them having red lines on their throats and being a lot taller. He and his dream brothers were waiting for someone, but he never came, and that someone was supposed to have a red line, too, when he came. They had to go find him.

"Ok. All done," Mikey said.

"Alweady? It hurt weally quickly" Dm was surprised.

"Told you that you had nothing to be afraid of," Mikey said. _Luckily he doesn't need any stitches. _Let me dry your hand, and I'll put a Band-Aid on it."

"Ok." Dom watched as Mikey did what he said.

When Mikey finished, he brought him down from the counter. "Ok, you can go play with your brothers while I clean up."

"Fanks, Mikey," Dom said before running off.

"No problem, kiddo." _Heh, I'm pretty good at this big brother stuff._


End file.
